super sensitive smell

[flip flop girl]

My Mother (age 63) has thyroid trouble and takes synthroid.  She also suffers from arthritis and psoriasis.  Recently (and before in 1998), she has become super sensitive to smell.  We recently painted our home, and when she comes to visit, she can't stand inside but a few minutes, and says it is like she is "tasting" the paint (the smell is so strong to her).  We don't smell anything.  The slightest perfume, air deodorizers, ink in newspaper, etc do the same thing to her.  What can be causing this?  Would an allergy medicine help?  She currently doesn't see an allergist or take any allergy medications.  Thanks.

[star queen]

Older people who are losing one sense will often find that another sense will become more pronounced. People whose vision is failing usually find that their hearing or their smell is now sharper. Thyroid and arthritis do not fit into this catagory. I suspect that she doesn't have an allergy, but it wouldn't hurt to have the allergy suspicion checked out with the doctor.

[bubblewoman]

Hi,

It sounds like what your mother has might be MCS Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.   Here is a great website that talks about it.  You might want to check it out http://www.multiplechemicalsensitivity.org/ . If that doesn't link you can just go to multiplechemicalsensitvity.org .


Believe it or not her thyroidism (the thyroid is critical to removing toxins), psoriasis and arthitis could all be signs (as they mention in the article, joint pain, lack of ability to clean out toxins, and rashes are all symptoms)  part of the MCS.  Or they could be seperate and just be being exacerbated by it.  If your mother does have this, be aware she is not the only one.  I have met and heard of hundreds of people who have her symptoms. My sister and I are/were one of them. My sister had an auto immune disorder that attacked her thyroid, and exacerbated her asthma and exima and caused the exact symptoms your mother describes but worse.  She spent a year in bed and could not bear to be around anyone with perfume, hair spray, etc.   She was finally cured by recieving a new immune system made from healthy people's debris from white blood cells in a special procedure.

My case is a little bit more complicated.  See if this sounds familiar.  Until I was 22, I led a completely normal life: I could eat anything I wanted, go anywhere, into any building with the yuckiest of smells without feeling sick.  I loved the mountains, flowers, hiking, biking, walking, etc. and worked 4-12 hours a day spending my spare time reading and with my friends. I loved school and excelled at it. Then our neighborhood started dumping toxic chemical nearby. Slowly I began to get allergic to foods; first wheat, then corn, then potatoes, nuts, fruits etc.  I also began developing sensitivites to flowers, deodorant, and finally paint, dust, laundry detergents etc.  By the time I realized it was the stinky and harmful toxic waste illegally being dumped, it was too late, my immune system was nearly gone.  All I could do was lie in bed trying to breathe with an ice pack on my neck to keep the swelling down.  All this while I was on a heavy dose of steroids for the breathing!

Now, even though I am away from the chemicals(I finally moved) I still am sensitive to it.  I can't go near paint, perfume, laundry detergent, pollens, or even dish soap. One small exposure and the difficulty breathing, swelling, dizziness, and nausea--one or all --, come rushing back.  After 5 years I'm on the mend, almost off of steroids, able to eat more foods, and have a part-time job.  I hope to eventually heal completely.

Hopefully, if your mom does have MCS, it is a much simpler case than mine or my sisters. Many people have simple problems that can be treated easily.  A couple things that really help, and for some people stop it all together, are enzyme therapy and rotation/rare-food diet.  A couple really great books that might help your mom are "Enzyme Therapy" by Dr. Cutler and "Patient heal thyself".  Bioset, Bicom, and chiropractics have also really helped me.  Other people have been helped by acupuncture and herbs. Try googling all these things or having your mom google them.  Whether or not she has multiple chemical sensitivies, these things can help the symptoms you describe.
Good luck.  

[YousufChak]

Interesting for Roshen.

[nkamoka]

I believe that these problems started long before any of the major symptoms. In order to go forward, you must go back all the way. Google "Leaky Gut Syndrome". This is where allergies may have led to her autoimmune disease. If your mom does not want meds, natural is better for her. I am "curing" my children from many health issues through diet. And I have some friends that have done the same. Good luck.